A complete breakdown of the US Commercial Drivers Licenses
A complete breakdown of the US Commercial Drivers Licenses
- 1660 views
- 0 comments
-
Share
In the United States of America to operate any type of large automobile, you need a license. This is called a CDL-Commercial Drivers License. You need a CDL to operate any Commercial Motor Vehicle (CMV’s), which includes tractor-trailers, semi-trucks, dump trucks, and passenger busses. Before 1986, drivers in all states could operate any vehicle with a basic automobile driver’s license, no additional training or certification was required. In 1986 Congress passed a Commercial Motor Vehicle Safety Act which made it mandatory for every commercial vehicle driver to have a CDL, this law improved highway safety drastically because it ensured that those who operated large scale trucks and other such vehicles were specifically trained to do so. With the increase in demand for driver jobs.
CDL Eligibility and Requirements
CDL’s are usually taken by people who wish to have a job that allows them to be on the road. The first step towards getting a CDL is to obtain a CLP or Commercial Learners Permit. Just like your regular learners permit, this allows you to practice driving commercial vehicles to obtain a CDL. The minimum age to apply for a CDL in most states is 21. However, between the ages of 18-20, you can apply for an intrastate CDL. As the name suggests, this allows you to drive your vehicle within your state limits, the restrictions are lifted once you turn 21. You can apply for a CDL at your local DMV office. Every state has its own set of rules and regulations for CDL applicants, you have to go through a written test and a set of driving skills tests set by your local authorities in order to be authorized. However, now with the labor, especially long haul driver shortage in full peak, multiple states are petitioning to reduce the required age limit.
Types of CDLs
The CDL’s are given out based on the size of the vehicle you want to operate with further specifications made according to type and material transported. The state law requires you to have a commercial license to operate any automobile whose combined weight or Gross Vehicle Weight Rate (GVWR) is 26,001 pounds or more.
Class A CDL:
A Class A license is required to operate any combination of vehicles with a GVWR of 26,001 pounds or more, provided that the towed vehicle is heavier than 10,000 pounds. With a Class A CDL, you can drive- Tractor-trailers, Truck and trailer combinations, Tank Vehicles, Livestock Carriers, and Flatbeds. With some additional endorsements depending on your state, you may be allowed to drive Class B and Class C vehicles with your Class A CDL.
A Class C CDL allows you to drive a vehicle that has the capacity to carry 16 or more passengers including the driver. You can also transport materials that are deemed as hazardous or HazMat under federal law. With a Class C CDL, you can drive Small HazMat vehicles, Passenger vans, Combination of vehicles not covered by A or B.
To know more about types of driver jobs do check out our previous blog
https://helpwanted.com/article/90-driver-jobs-to-watch-out-for
Source:
Driving Tests.org
Allstatecareer.edu
TheAmericanDream.com’
USA.gov
- 1660 views
- 0 comments
You might also like
Top paying Careers in 2021
- 1340 views
- 1 comments
The economy may be taking its time with recovery, but hiring and job hunting are at an all-time high! If you’re among the many job seekers on the lookout for high-paying jobs, these might just be your answer. Here are 4 different sectors and job roles that pay the best in 2021: Medical Professiona ...Read more
Student loan debt is a crisis that has been making its way through The United States for quite some time now. Education in premium institutions is extremely expensive especially for students belonging to the middle class and lower-middle-class strata of society, this implies that by the end of thei ...Read more
More than 50% of the US workforce is working remotely as of now. According to experts, about 25-30% of them will continue this trend until the end of 2021. Under such circumstances, it is not feasible for companies to get all the new employees to the headquarters for their I-9 compliance. ...Read more
The Great Resignation, as experts call it, is a rather fitting term for a phenomenon where millions of American workers quit their current jobs and go in search of better pay, benefits and flexible working hours ...Read more
Category
News
Best tech jobs in the United States : BLS data
- Sep 06, 2022
For several reasons, the IT sector is appealing to job seekers. ...Read more
Despite the opposition of restaurant owners who worried it would raise customers' bills, California ...Read more
Workers leave as job dissatisfaction grows
- Aug 17, 2022
Demands for improved pay and workplace environments are coming from workers in California to New Yo ...Read more
New graduates from institutions in Nigeria and other African nations have been made aware of job pr ...Read more
Casper is hiring professional sleepers
- Aug 10, 2022
A mattress company is searching for a role where napping while working is not only acceptable but a ...Read more